Improvement in ambulances



G. W; ARNOLD.

Ambulance.

Patented Apr. 5, 1864.

w wwwwqv ILFETERS. PHOTO LITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

G. W. ARNOLD, OF MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN AMBULANCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 42,l52, dated April 5,1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, G. W. ARNOLD, of Morgantown, in the county ofMonongalia and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Ambulances; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is a side sectional view of my invention, taken in theline or a", Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section ofthe same,taken in the line 3 y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the twofigures.

This invention consists in a novel manner of arranging couches withinthe body of an ambulance, whereby the couches are retained in a properposition when the ambulance is passing over inclined ground, the couchesbein g also allowed to yield or give vertically under the jarrin gmovement of the ambulance, and also arranged as to aiford the greatestpossible degree of ease and comfort 'to the wounded while being conveyedfrom the field of battle to the hospital designed for theirreception andfuture treatment.

The invention further consists in a novel and improved arrangement ofthe curtains of the ambulance, whereby the former may be readily raisedand lowered by the driver, as the state or condition of the patients mayrequire.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the body of the ambulance, which may be of rectangular formand mounted on wheels, in the usual or in any proper manner.

The body A has uprights a attached to it, one at each corner, the backuprights having a back piece, I), attached to them, which is curved atits upper edge. The two front uprights are connected at their upper endsby a curved cross-piece, c, and a horizontal bar, (7, connects the upperends of the uprights a at each side of the body A, the bars d beingconnected at their center by a curved cross-piece, e. The upper edges ofthe cross-pieces'c e and the upper edge of the back piece, I), are allin the same plane, and they form a support for a canvas top, B, whichmay be permanently secured to them. To the uprights a at each side ofthe body there are attached bearings f, in which a roller, 0, is fittedand allowed to turn freely. These rollers are near the upper ends of theuprights, and have each a crank, D, at their front ends withinconvenient distance of the drivers seat E. Each roller has a curtain, F,attached to it, and by turning the rollers the curtains may with thegreatest facility be raised and lowered as occasions may require.

G G are two couches, which are placed wit in the body A and may beconstructed in the form of rectangular boxes provided with suitablemattresses, H. These couches are each suspended by two pins, g g-one atthe head, and the other at the foot-the pins passinginto the upper partsof the head and foot boards in line with their centers. The pins arefitted loosely in the couches, so that the latter, by virtue of theirown gravity, will always remain suspended in a vertical position, theinclining of the ambulance laterally in passing over uneven ground notaffecting the position of the couches. The pins 9 g are attached toslides H, which are placed on vertical rods I, and rest on spiralsprings J, which are fitted on the rods I. These springs J admit of thecouches G G yielding or rising or falling under the motion of theambulance, and, in connection with the suspending of the couches. onpins, as shown, afford ease and comfort to the occupants thereof.

In order to facilitate the placing of the patients in the couches andremoving them therefrom, the sides of the body A may be arranged so asto fold down, and the mattresses H drawn out and then slipped into thecouches with the men upon them.

The device may be constructed at a small cost, and is perfectly simplethroughout. There are no parts liable to get out of repair or becomederanged by use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- X 1. An ambulance provided with couchessuspended on pins 9 g, which are attached to slides H, the latter beingfitted on vertical rods I and resting on spiral springs J, substantiallyas herein shown and described.

2. Attaching the side curtains, F, to rollers O, substantially asdescribed, to facilitate the raising and lowering of the curtains, asmay be required.

Witnesses: G. W. ARNOLD.

GEO. M. HAGANS, M. HARTLEY.

